AuthorTopic: stand up over time (Read 1614 times)

In another thread I've read here I've seen the questions about fandom and defending the Beatles to "non believers" and after so many years I often (in the car) find myself listening and wondering, "what if this song was released today? Would it hold water or is it a function of the times and/or Beatlemania?"

I'll be honest, sometimes I wonder if a song I really enjoy is truly a function of Beatlemania and frequency of hearing the song over the years. How many other bands do you listen top to bottom or have at some point? Not too many in the last 30 years. You would never expect quality top to bottom on an album, but maybe there are songs that would grow on you (like some Beatles songs) and never got a chance? With the Beatles, and as die hard fans, we gave many songs a chance to grow on us and become liked and even favorites.

Their harmonizing was a fifth instrument in my mind and having the ability to have 3 and a half lead singers in a band without losing quality was the frosting on the originality and the arrangements they created.

I'm all over the board now, so original question - do any of you ever wonder how a beatles song you hear would measure up if released today?

I dont think 95% of Beatle songs would matter much in this day and age. When they were released in the 60's, they were more or less cutting age. It seemed everybody was following the Beatles back then. Now, not so much. Its already been done.

does it have to be cutting edge to be good? What I'm saying, take Eleanor Rigby or Penny Lane or Here Comes the Sun and release it today (having never heard it before), wouldn't the song rise up and be recognized as a good song? Enjoyable? Most of the "cutting edge" of the last 20-30 years is crap IMO. I think the pursuit of the "next" thing is what drives the industry and that is unfortunate in a lot of ways.

Sure they would be good and enjoyable, but as far as being relevant,,,,I seriously doubt it. The same type of songs can be found on a Jellyfish cd (to an extent) and their two cd's have withered into obscurity almost. Times have changed, for the worse in my opinion, but they changed nontheless.

I think that most if not all of the Beatles music would be ignored if it came out today. If you watch a performance from the Beatles (I didn't say concert) like the Ed Sullivan performance (the concerts were more hysterical) there is a dignity and class. The music that is common or that sells is based on sex. The performers typically have a provocative costume on. The music is secondary.

If you are to take the performances out, and judge purely on the recordings another thing comes out. If you were to get many record producers/talent scouts/whatever you want to call them, to tell the honest truth, I think many would admit that it is about cashing in on the instant success of a performer. I know some of this was true with the Beatles as well, and that is the reason that 'A Hard Day's Night' was shot quickly and in black and white (cheap and instant). I think that this concept has been taken a step further than it was in 1963/4.

There was a lot of skepticism about The Beatles when they first appeared. If they had not of progressed they would not be the story that they are today. Whatever your time period that you prefer of The Beatles legacy, it is the whole that makes up the sum of what is considered greatness today.

There are other bands that had the success, or should I say could write as great of a song as Lennon/McCartney or Harrison. None, however, could do it consistently and repeatedly. If we only had 'Please Please Me' and say, 'Beatles For Sale', the Beatles would be a footnote, or would be just another band that a few liked.

The music industry will never see another Beatles because the music industry has closed the doors to this happening and changed the way a band becomes successful. They have even changed how the success is defined.

Logged

And now you've changed your mind, I see no reason to change mine --Lennon/McCartney

There was a lot of skepticism about The Beatles when they first appeared. If they had not of progressed they would not be the story that they are today. Whatever your time period that you prefer of The Beatles legacy, it is the whole that makes up the sum of what is considered greatness today.

digging up an old thread I started - but this quote from Gary often comes up when I talk with non-believers. I get asked, as a Beatle fan, do I lik the early stuff better or the later stuff...no right answer, my answer changes all the time, mood plays a part in that.

"it is the whole that makes up the sum of what is considered greatness today." - love that quote